Models



The list below represents all of the prehistoric animal models released during the 26 years of the Carnegie Collection. Not listed here are more sculpt changes or repaints with the same model numbers, like mold refreshes or re-molds (e.g., the same basic sculpt without obvious changes, but different mold lines indicating the mold had been retooled or remade). Details of retools can be found on individual model pages.

A figure is listed as "retired" the first year it is absent from official catalogs, and therefore was no longer for sale by Safari. Note that, usually, the final production runs actually finished the year prior, but remaining stock was likely still for sale. Also note that some older models continued to ship with box sets several years after their retirement as a single release - these sets probably used old stock rather than new production runs of older molds.

1988

First-release Carnegies were cast in very soft rubber a combination of mostly matte paint and a few glossy paint highlights on or around the head. The initial paint schemes were mostly shades of gray and brown. It's unclear how many of this model type were released or how widely. With the exception of Pteranodon and Smilodon, models 410-416 do not seem to have any of these early "dull wash" variants, and were probably not produced during this initial production run. The earliest account of the first 10 dull wash models being found at retail is in September 1988 in St. Louis, so if anyone has a recollection of purchasing them earlier, please let me know in the comments.

1989
A set of much more polished figures debuted this year, closer in style to the original prototypes, with what's referred to as a "gold wash" of glossy/yellow over the base colors. These models were initially released in the original soft beige rubber, then switched to the harder black PVC later in the year (in fact the initial rubbery gold wash variants may have been 1988 releases concurrent with the dull wash). Later in 1989, the first-release models were slightly repainted with a set of very rare intermediate color schemes in matte, high-contrast (often grayscale) paint. These are the variants shown in the 1990 Safari catalog, and its possible the paint jobs were spruced up to make them match the aesthetic of the photography set. These only saw a very brief and limited release, and would be quickly replaced by the "classic" brighter color schemes in 1990. Most new releases for this year were cast in a new hard, dark gray (almost black) plastic as opposed to the rubber of the previous year. Of the new models, only Pteranodon and Smilodon seem to have been initially cast in the old soft rubber and may have been an intermediate or later production run.

1990
The first run of 7 models were re-released again this year in their "classic", brighter color schemes, with the newer hard black vinyl.
1991
In addition to the two new models listed below, all of the existing models received revised imprint stamps with left-aligned text that omitted the words "Miami, FL" around this time. All of them had a CE mark added. Paint application for previous models were tweaked and most were manufactured in medium weight gray vinyl from this point until 1996. NOTE: Both Elasmosaurus and Mosasaurus seem to have had their info stamps quickly updated to read both 1991 and 1990, suggesting these may have actually been mid-late 1990 releases. However, they did not appear in 1990 catalogs.
1992
Beginning around this time, many of the original 1988 models were re-tooled to add definition back into aging and fatigued molds. These models often come across looking blocky or chunky, with deep creases between skin texture details combined with smooth areas that received no retooling. This attempt to "refresh" the old models was done at the factory level, with no input from sculptor Forest Rogers.
1993
1994
1995
1996 
1997
Beginning this year, all new molds received the larger, widely spaced CE indicating European Conformity. A major line refresh also happened this year. Several models were retired. All remaining models were repainted using colored vinyl, not paint, as the base color. Because these "color vinyl" repaints were not given new model numbers, they can be found in the articles about their original versions.
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Notice that this year, the numbering system went off the rails. Why? Who knows? The 2007 repaints having a new numbering system makes some degree of sense, but it later went on to include non-repainted models. The 200 series does not seem to correspond with any particular scale either. Model numbers in both the 100 and 200 series were released out of order. In 2006, the early 1990s era Safari Authentics Dinosaur sets were re-released under the name "Mini Carnegie Dinos" in carded 3-packs, Some were repainted, while others retained minor variants of their original paint schemes. Since these were released under the Carnegie name and given Carnegie product numbers, they are included here.

2007
Second major line refresh, with most pre-2000 models either retired or given repaints. This time, the repaints are given new model numbers, so they are included here.
2008
2009
2010
  • 4217-01 Ichthyosaurus
  • 4218-01 Cryolophosaurus
  • Retired:
    4023 Corythosaurus
    4024 Dilophosaurus pair
    4025 Plateosaurus
    4032 Deltadromeus Agilis
    4045 Sinraptor
    4046 Oviraptor
2011
2012
Beginning this year, all models shipped with the standard Wild Safari style info tags. Additionally, this seems to be about the time most of the models were tweaked to include the scale ratio on the imprint stamp.
2013
2014
2015
  • 4102-01 Velociraptor (remake)
  • Retired: 
    4003 Apatosaurus
    4004 Apatosaurus Baby
    4033 Baryonyx
    4039 Acrocanthosaurus
2016
  • Retired
    4001 Tyrannosaurus rex
    4026 Deinosuchus
    4027 Maiasaura with Nest
    4029 Kronosaurus
    4030 Saltasaurus
    4035 Tyrannosaurus rex
    4036 Triceratops
    4038 Dimetrodon
    4041 Camarasaurus
    4042 Woolly Mammoth
    4044 Albertosaurus
    4047 Ankylosaurus
    4049 Beipiaosaurus
    4050 Microraptor
    4051 Amargasaurus
    4052 Oviraptor
    4054 Diplodocus
    4101 Tanystropheus
    4102 Velociraptor
    4106 Velociraptor
    4107 Brachiosaurus
    4108 Iguanodon
    4109 Allosaurus
    4110 Spinosaurus
    4111 Parasaurolophus
    4112 Concavenator
    4113 Tyrannosaurus rex
    4115 Triceratops
    4116 Quetzalcoatlus
    4117 Elasmosaurus
    4119 Stegosaurus
    4122 Giganotosaurus
    4126 Miragaia
    4127 Carnotaurus
    4212 Caudipteryx
    4213 Dilong
    4215 Tylosaurus
    4216 Spinosaurus
    4217 Ichthyosaurus
    4218 Cryolophosaurus

--By TerribleDactyl

Comments

  1. JTMarch 20, 2022 at 7:56 PM

    No one on here may believe this, but I was indirectly responsible for the Carnegie Giganotosaurus. On a paleo dig in Wyoming in 2007, I was talking to one of the Carnegie Museum paleontologists, telling him about my collecting the Carnegie dinosaurs as a kid. He asked me what dinosaurs perspective collectors might want to see and I suggested Giganotosaurus carolinii. Sure enough, in 2008 their great figure rolled out! I hope someone appreciates this story as much as I like telling it! I swear it is true!

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  2. AlephJuly 30, 2022 at 10:06 PM

    Hello this page has been a good discovery to me. I'm a dinosaur collector that enjoy a lot the Carnegie models. And learn more about them has been a good time. Thank you for share with us. Actually I have not the Rogers collection complete but I keep with love the Microraptor, Giganotosaurus, Diplodocus, Carnotaurus, Concavenator, Camarasaurus, Cryolophosaurus Deltadromeus, Ichthyosaurus and Tylosaurus. Beside the impressive new models I still convinced about Carnegie's dinosaur quality. And I expect to complete someday the collection!

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